The present invention relates to dispensing arrangements in general, and more particularly to a dispensing arrangement for advertising or promotional coupons or the like.
With the widespread use of advertising, it is sometimes desired or even necessary, to obtain competitive advantage, to include advertising or promotional coupons, such as discount or rebate coupons, in containers, such as egg cartons. One arrangement of this type is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,039,181. The coupon dispensing arrangement disclosed therein works reasonably well when the lid of the egg carton has a large flat internal surface. Under these circumstances, the advertising coupon can be dispensed onto this internal surface in an almost haphazard manner, since the large area of this surface gives sufficient leeway even for rather imprecise dispensing of the coupon. Moreover, the coupon can be dispensed in its state as a single layer of sheet material, again because of the hugeness of the surface onto which the coupon is dispensed.
However, in recent years, the trend was toward egg cartons which are made of less material, be it because the wall thickness is reduced, or because the lid is provided with cutouts through which the integrity of the eggs can be observed without opening the carton. Under these conditions, the lid having a flat central portion would not have a sufficient rigidity and, consequently, it is necessary to provide the lid with at least one projection which stiffens the lid. Depending on the manufacturer of the egg carton, the reinforcing rib may extend either in the longitudinal direction, or in the transverse direction, of the egg carton. Now, if it were attempted to dispense the flat coupon onto the internal surface of the lid of this construction, the projecting reinforcing rib would either deflect the descending coupon either out of the egg carton, or onto the hinge which pivotally connects the lid with the bottom of the egg carton, or the coupon would rest on top of the lid. Hence, the coupon would either be missing from the egg carton, or would be so positioned that it could interfere with the closing of the egg carton. Obviously, one egg carton which cannot be closed because of the interference from the coupon stops the entire packaging line. Moreover, even if the coupon does not interfere with the closing of the egg carton, it could become mutilated, so that the very purpose of inserting the coupon into the egg carton could be defeated. All this is very disadvantageous.